Karaoke Til’ Klosing at Aesop’s
by junetree74
Summary: SwanQueen story based on OUAT Season 6#15, “A Wondrous Place.” In a part of this episode Regina, Emma, & Snow go for a drink to help Emma get over Hook’s departure. In THIS story the time spent at the bar turns into karaoke, leading to Regina & Emma realizing how much in love they have always been with each other. As it should have. BONUS: See drunk Snow in actuon! ¡Viva la SQ!


"Another round?" Regina asks Emma.

"Not sure. I'm already a little fuzzy, and I want to keep an eye on Snow over there playing pool with the Vikings. Where did the Vikings come from anyway?" Emma questions as she looks over towards Snow.

"Please, you know that your mother can handle herself. She grew up in the Enchanted Forest where she took on worse situations, like me for instance. Besides, I can be your DD."

"Oh noooo you can't! My Sheriff eyes are still sharp, and I can count. That is your twelfth martini."

"I assure you it isn't!" Regina gasps. "I am handling my liquor just fine," Regina pronounces as she picks up the martini, drains the glass, and puts it down gently while grinning at Emma. "And with the help of a clever spell, I'll be going on my twelfth."

A deep laugh emerges from Emma as she too drains her beer. "Seriously, you have a sobering spell? What kind of teacher are you? Do you realize that is the most useful spell you could have ever taught me?"

"Oh, its very dark magic, not something to have the Savior dabbling in."

Emma looks at Regina with a 'very funny' expression. Regina returns the look as Aesop places the twelfth martini in front of her.

"Hey, Aeosop, can I get another of these artisanal beers please?"

"Well look at you, about to complete a six pack, all without a sobering spell."

"Compared to what I usually drink, Snow was right–'artisanal' means strong because I am feeling it. But hey, you agreed to be my DD, little Ms. Ever-sober, and after the crappy week I have had, I may as well make the most of it. HEY!" Emma says a little to excitably and grabs Regina's arm, "Have a beer with me with a whiskey chaser."

Regina wrinkles her nose, "I don't do beer."

"But it involves whiskey? Ever done it that way before? It makes the beer go down better, or is it the other way around? Whatever, it's a thing. Let's do that thing. You like whiskey..."

Regina stares at Emma as she is shaking her arm, pleading with her to do this thing that sounds like a thing she is making up to make her drink beer.

"No."

"It's my girls' night out," Emma persists. Regina tries to throw her a stern look to which Emma mocks her stern look back. "Sorry, you're not scary to me at the moment." Regina's mouth gapes open in offense, but she has no time to protest as Emma cuts her off. "I'll make a deal. Chances are, this next beer will push me way further than I am now. You brought me here to relax and vent. I might be more ventable if you do this beer-shot thing with me?" She grins with pride at her ability to bargain, really hoping to see Regina down a beer. It doesn't take Regina long to decide that this bargain is more in her favor.

"Well, Miss Swan, that is a very tempting deal."

Emma calls out to the bartender to change the order quickly before Regina changes her mind. "Hey Aesop, make that two beers and two shots of whiskey instead!""

Regina rolls her eyes, mostly at herself for giving in to Emma.

When the drinks arrive, Emma guides Regina to pick up her shot, toast, and throw it back all at once, together. Then, Emma challenges Regina to down at least half her pint in one big gulp. Emma throughout is laughing and feeling proud of herself because she got the Mayor to 'chug.' Once Regina dabs her mouth with a napkin she begrudgingly admits that she did not find the artisanal beer awful, but the whisky was the better part of the experience. However, Regina suddenly starts to feel buzzed and she places her fingers to once side of her temple. "Mixing!" She mutters to herself. Emma sees Regina's reaction, "Are you OK?"

"I'll be fine. I just can't do that again tonight. This spell is only good when you stick to one kind of alcohol. The whiskey got to me a bit. This better be worth it Emma Swan."

Emma laughs and sips on the rest of her beer because she is feeling dizzier than before and now she may have messed up her DD.

"So..." Emma says, knowing she must honor her deal, "what more did you want to know about my crappy week, other than it sucked?"

Regina sighs, not sure what to ask. She knows Emma isn't one to get emotional and talk. It's a characteristic that they share. "I suppose there isn't anything more I need to know. I know what it feels like to not talk in length about an awful situation." Emma nods slowly, grimacing at the emotions the situation stirs in her. She grips her beer firmly. There is a long pause between them. "It's not that I don't want to talk, I just don't have the words."

"Not even angry words?"

Emma sighs.

"Have your tried cussing him out in anger yet?" Emma nods 'no.' "It's very cathartic. Let me start-how dare that smelly, leather wearing arrogant coward!"

Emma raises her eyebrows. "Are you a 10-year-old?" Emma snorts. "It's like you've never cursed before," Emma laughs harder.

"That was juvenile, wasn't it?" Regina smiles at Emma. "I think I've been hanging around your mother too much lately."

Emma snorts. "I think so!"

They both smile and crack up with each other.

"I miss us hanging out," Emma says when she catches her breath.

"Why do you think I insisted you go out with me?" Regina reflects on the way she just phrased that, knowing that to herself, her words are layered with meaning. Emma's eyes get wide and she chokes a little on her beer. The phrase clearly holds deeper meaning to her too. Regina really pushed her to come out tonight, and though Emma was in a reclusive mood, Regina's insistence on spending time with her made Emma acquiesce. It should have been an innocuous phrase, but the way Regina put it, it could be read into so much more, and it wouldn't be wrong. The silence between them continues, each one not knowing how to respond to their reactions, because talking about what they mean to each other always feels awkward. Emma starts to feel panic; she is vulnerable right now, emotionally and intoxicated so. If Regina picks up on her thoughts, and starts to lean into their deal, she isn't sure if she can hold back.

"Can I share something with you?" Regina finally breaks the silence. Emma's heart starts to race. Here it comes. She closes her eyes and nods a very slow, 'yes.'

"I honestly hate guy-liner. I have a lot of resentment towards him personally for all the years that I have known him, and you being with him, and us being friends, I have tried hard to overlook the past. But the one thing that really got to me is I feel like he got in the way of our friendship. I haven't seen you as much since you've been with him, and I can't help my feelings of how you're too good for him. I've shared that with you before."

That was not quite what Emma was expecting Regina to say. She understands Regina's dislike of Hook, but she can't blame him for their recent distance. She replies defensively, "You were occupied with Robin, so us not hanging out was not entirely my fault."

"I didn't say it was your fault. But I guess I did have a distraction of my own too. We were both occupied at the time. But," Regina hesitates telling her this, but proceeds, "But I don't think it bothered you that my attention was elsewhere like it bothered me."

"What do you mean by that?"

Regina instantly regrets saying that. It is too revealing. Maybe not the right topic of choice. She invited Emma here tonight to hang out together, to be a friend to her, and take her mind off of things. She shouldn't be starting a fight about their lack of connection lately. Clearly the alcohol is getting to her and its Emma who should be letting down her walls, not her. After another long, unhelpful pause, she looks at Emma, places a hand on hers, and all she can say is "nothing" hoping that Emma is willing to let it go. It's better not to walk into this territory while intoxicated. Fortunately, Aesop approaches them to check in on them, a fortunate intrusion. He lets them know that its 11:00 p.m. and "Karaoke Till Klosing" is about to begin. Would they like to sign up? Emma shakes her head no, but Regina exclaims "YES! An excellent idea, where is the book and sign-up sheet?" Aesop walks away and Emma turns to Regina mortified! "REGINA! I don't sing, especially in public!"

"We are here for a girls' night out and this is classic: drinks, bad signing, and..."

Emma interrupts "God! Where is the Evil Queen when you need her? I am definitely not drunk enough to sing."

"Drunk enough to call on the Evil Queen to save you, Savior." Regina eyes Emma with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm sure SHE hates karaoke."

"You'll survive," Regina says as she sticks her tongue out at Emma playfully, which surprises her.

"Do I need a new DD? Is that one little whisky and artisanal beer getting to you this badly? Your spell has clearly faltered because you've lost your mind if you think I am going to sing."

"Well I like to sing, and crowds don't scare me, especially this crowd. Tell me it wouldn't amuse you to see me sing?" Regina gives Emma a wink, causing Emma to flush in the cheeks. Emma wonders if Regina will continue to be this playful, because that means she will not let her get away with not signing. Is this what drunk Regina is like?

"Regina, are you sure you want to go up and sing? You may end up being the only one signing. Most people in here don't look like the karaoke type!" She pleadingly whispers to Regina.

"Then so be it. I will be the star of the bar. A one-person concert, for probably the only person in here who cares. If it makes the week you had a little better, then it's my pleasure to do so."

Regina's insistence is not helping the way Emma is feeling right now. She is glad that they seemed to avoid getting into deep conversation about their feelings. In fact, she has become good at deflecting any feelings she has for Regina for the sake of their friendship, but this Regina who is trying to pull her out of her funk, sing for her to make her feel better, she doesn't know how to deflect this. They are friends, but this feeling of genuine care for her is not part of their routine polite, friendly manners. And the alcohol is not letting her process well and take control. She finds that she rather likes this special treatment.

Regina begins flipping through the song book, asking Emma if she knows this song or that song, singing a few bars if she says no. This is a side to Regina she has never seen; playful, joyful, unreserved. She finds herself drinking in how adorable this suddenly care-free side of her is and it makes her smile. No, keep it together Emma, she tells herself. How did she find herself here tonight!? Stupid Hook. Everyone has been so concerned about how she has taken his sudden departure, expecting her to be torn up over it, when really, she is over him and quite relieved to be rid of him. Ever since she gave in to his relentless persistence she had not felt herself. Then she found herself going through unthinkable situations to hold onto him. What happen to Emma who would stand her ground and kick ass? Why did she give in in the first place? To please her parents? To stay in the closet? To abandon hope that her son's mother didn't return her feelings? Drinking was really making her spiral into her hidden thoughts. Maybe karaoke was a saving grace. And to see Regina sing, that might be a nice distraction.

"Emma, hey, I asked you a question," Regina gains her attention by giving her elbow a squeeze.

"Yes, Regina. Sorry, drifted for a moment."

"Avoiding karaoke that way is of no use. What I asked is, if for some reason you change your mind and would like to sing with me, what song would you want to sing? Do you have a long time favorite? Something nonsensical? Something deep and meaningful?"

"I didn't agree to sing, remember."

"I am asking you hypothetically. As in, after a few more drinks, hypothetically what will you want to sing with me?" Regina gave her a grin, peering at her with smiling eyes.

"I see your angle, evil one. I will take a look at the book if that will satisfy your hypothetical hope."

"Well, I am happy to not get a flat out 'no.' Let's keep looking at the book."

Regina and Emma sit next to each other flipping through pages and pages of songs. It makes for a nice discovery of what kind of music they like. Emma points out many 1980 hair bands, to which Regina did not know, and found their names pretentious. Regina's selections were more mellow, with lots of knowledge of music that existed before her arrival in Storybrooke, to which Emma is impressed.

"Here," Regina points to a song. Emma reads, "Just the Way You Are. Bruno Mars."

"This song Henry and I used to sing together when he was little. I know it well, it's perfect. Let me finish this beer for a little extra courage, and I'll go up!"

Emma watches Regina down her drink then take the stage without hesitation, owning the stage like she does everything, so effortlessly. She lets the karaoke jockey, KJ, know what the song number is, then takes center stage, calmly staring at the lyrics monitor. Emma feels an uncontrollable grin forming as she watches Regina, realizing just how excited she is to hear her sing. Has she ever heard Regina sing? No, she never has, but she is taking it for granted that she can, because honestly, in her experience there isn't much Regina Mills cannot do. The song she chooses is also a very familiar song to her. She has heard Henry hum it a lot, and now that she knows it's a song he and his mom enjoyed together, this song is very special. Emma finds this overwhelmingly endearing and her heart swells with emotion. The song begins, and the sound of Regina's voice catches her off guard. "Her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shining..." The sound reaching Emma's ears is silky, and the timber is at a level that is doing something to her brain that is bringing joy. It's Regina whose eyes have eyes that make the stars look like they're not shining. If there was any doubt that Regina was a magical being, then you would have to agree that she was a vocal goddess. Emma reaches for her beer and holds onto it as she watches captivated. "Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me. Her laugh, her laugh she hates, but I think is sexy, she's so beautiful, and I tell her every day."

When the song comes to an end, Emma sucks in air. Has she even taken a breath the whole time watching Regina? She can't remember, and Regina is coming off stage and walking towards her and she suddenly feels panic and she still is grinning ear to ear and is thinking of what to say to her, but she feels words slipping away when Regina comes up to her and sits back down next to her. She wants to say something, but her throat has gone dry, and oh my god, is she fangirling?! She manages to squeak out a soft "wow" just as she experiences a loud yell in her ear from behind her "ALL RIGHT REGINA, WOOOO!!!" Emma whips around and discovers its Snow. Regina smiles at the both of them, nodding her head in acknowledgement of their appreciation. She reaches for her pint, forgetting she finished it just before going up, so she takes Emma's beer from her hand and her fingers graze Emma's, which snaps her back to her fan-girling feelings. Before she gets a chance to compliment Regina, Snow slurs "That was incredible Reeegina. I havn't hurd you sing in furever! You still enjoy singing!"

"Thank you. I guess I still do. This karaoke is exhilarating! I could really get into this."

"I want to sing! Can I? Pleeeeese," Snow pleads, jumping up and down.

Regina looks at Emma with raised eyebrows, then at Snow. Emma side eyes Snow, and looks back at Regina each acknowledging Snow's very inebriated state. "Next time she gets the spell," Regina says, "Snow, you don't need my permission to sing. Here is the song book," and she slides the book over to Snow, who has taken a seat next to Emma with enthusiasm. "You've done it now, Regina..." Emma tells Regina. "I know what I'm doing–I'm ensuring the best drunken karaoke night ever!" Regina wickedly grins and asks the ladies "Another round?" "Do you really think she needs more?" "I'll definitely have another beer, get her water please." Regina tries to get Aesop's attention as Emma tries not to engage with Snow and the book, afraid that Snow will belligerently force her to sing something with her, although at the moment Snow is in her own world with the book as she 'ooohs' and 'ahhhhs' to herself, muttering song names, and giggling to herself.

After a moment drinks appear before them, a water placed before Snow snaps her from her concentration and she smiles broadly at Aesop as he walks away. She absentmindedly takes a drink, and quickly yells to Aesop "HEY! This isn't a beer!!!" Aesop looks over his shoulder and shrugs and keeps walking away. "Emma, this isn't a beer" she whines, shoving the glass in her face. Emma reacts to the water that almost spills on her lap, but mostly spilling onto the karaoke book, which causes Snow to yelp and start cleaning the book. Then Snow yells again even louder "EMMA!" and Emma jumps, "What?! I'm right here!" Snow giggles and places her hand on Emma's arm, "Lookitlokitlokit, right here, you know this song? Fiddler on the Roof? 'Matchmaker, matchmaker, find me a find, make me a catch!'" Emma knows the song, and those are not quite the lyrics, and before she knows it, Snow has thrown her arm around Emma's shoulders and begins swaying with her. "Come on sing it!" Despite herself, Emma humors her mother in swaying and swinging until her mother abruptly stops, declares "swing bad" and belches. Emma hears Regina snigger into her 14th martini.

Snow shares another song with Emma"Oh, this one is perfect and funny! 'What will we do with the drunken sailor?'" Snow bellows, and to Emma and Regina's surprise, they hear from the pool table area "What will we do with a drunken sailor?" They both turn around and see Snow's pool buddies, the Vikings, giving their attention to Snow, who bellows back to them, "Shave his belly with a rusty razor!" "Shave his belly with a rusty razor!" The Vikings call back, and then they sing the last verse in unison "Early in the mooor'nin'!"

"Mom!" Exclaims Emma.

"Oh, I'm sorry hunny, too soon?"

Emma heaves a huge sigh, shakes her head and drops it before her, not sure if she is embarrassed or in shock at her mother's behavior. Regina gets up and walks over to Snow, deciding that though Snow's behavior is beyond amusing to her, Emma is being victimized, and she should step in for her friend's sake. It's she who opened the karaoke Pandora's box. "Snow, there is only one song book. You need to decide soon because you have had it in your possession long enough dear."

"But there's so many good selections, its hard..."

"Well I know what I want to sing next, so I guess I'll just go up again."

"Nonononono, it's my turn! Wait, shhhhh, I'm selecting," Snow tells Regina, with scornful eyes. "Snow then whispers loudly, "Emma, come and sing with me."

"Nope. I don't like to sing in public. You and Regina have at it," Emma says firmly, taking a drink of her beer.

"But with a smile and a song..." and Snow begins to sing her Disney tune, but in the middle of the song she hacks, "Blech. So sweet and sappy. But I sang that for you sweetheart because I thought it would make you laugh. I really hate that cartoon." Emma does laugh, "Well, thank you, but I think you have always wanted to sing that song."

"Snow! Stop stalling and hogging the book!" Regina says impatiently as she reaches for the book.

Snow pulls the book away and shoves it into Emma's hands, "OK! OK! I know what I'm singing!" Then she whispers to Emma, "Don't let her get the book," and winks with all her face as she walks away.

Snow not so gracefully takes the stage.

"Did she tell you what she is singing?" Regina asks Emma as she sits back down next to her.

Emma nods no, and they each shrug at each other. "Well whatever it is, I think I will be surprised. Leave it to Snow," states Regina.

Snow takes center stage, posing, head down, legs apart, clutching the microphone to her chest. The song begins immediately with vocals "I went to a party las Saturday night, didn't get laid, I got in a fight, uh-huh, it ain't no big thing." Emma turns to Regina, jaw dropped, and Regina stares back at her, eyes wide and she starts laughing hysterically at the opening lyrics. When they turn back to the stage, the guitars to the song are in full force, and Snow begins to dance around and air guitar where she can, singing, all perfectly choreographed as though she was channeling Lita Ford herself. Snow's bar friends, the Vikings, stop playing pool and gravitate to the stage. They become her adoring fans, yelling and cheering her on. Emma leans over to Regina and yells in her ear "I never imagined I'd see something like this, and I think I have seen the impossible."

Regina points to the stage and yells, "Look! She's going down to the ground!"

For the musical bar Snow drops on all fours and crawls around like a sex kitten. Regina snorts in laughter, Emma feels her face flush in embarrassment. "I'm so showing David! Where's my phone?!?" Regina cackles.

"Noooooo, this is a girl's night out thing. It stays with us. Lucky, lucky us," Emma drops her head into her hands, "Oh the image, Lord, my mother."

"One is never too old to be embarrassed by their parents'," Regina points out.

"Shut up." Emma flatly replies.

"Come now, this is very good girl's night out fun. I'm proud of Snow, I didn't know she had this side to her. I think I see more girl's nights out in our future."

"Without me, have at it!"

Snow rises from the ground and finishes up her song with just the right fervor as a rock star should. Her adoring fans scream and cheer for more as if it was the last song at a concert. Regina puts her fingers to her mouth and whistles. Emma, though uncomfortable with this expressive side of her mother, claps and yells out "Go SNOW!" Snow comes running back to her girls and Aesop already has a tall glass of ice water ready for her and hands it to her, complimenting her with "You are a riot and natural born troublemaker!"

"Don't I know it," Regina quickly quips to Aesop, and Snow kicks her. "Case in point." Snow then throws her arms around Regina and squeezes her tight. "Dear, you are sweaty. Love you too, let go." Snow lets go, then falls on Emma screaming in her ear, "That was so fun let's all do a song together, please!!!" She takes back the song book and shoves herself between Emma and Regina. Regina replies, "All right, let's look." Emma has a less than pleased look on her face. Now she has two people insisting she sings.

Snow points to a song, "Moves Like Jagger?"

"Nope" Emma says confindently.

"That's another song that reminds me of Henry. He played it non-stop and sang and danced to the top of his lungs. It drove me up the wall," Regina reflects.

"I remember that. He had no clue who Jagger was. Rolling Stones is one of my favorite bands. I had to show him YouTube clips to educate his moves," Emma adds.

"Did he get their CD from you?" Regina asks, and Emma nods yes. "He refused to tell me where the CD came from, though I didn't really mind. I like them."

"You do?" Emma says surprised.

"Yes, what isn't there to like?" Regina replies.

"We're a Rolling Stones family. I kinda like that."

Regina looked at Emma and gave her a soft smile. She loved it whenever she referred to them as a family. The idea that she and Emma shared something so intimate meant the world to her.

"I think I'm going to sing," Emma proclaims.

"What?!" Snow reacts.

"You'll see," she said as she made her way to the stage.

"But you don't even know the number!" Snow called out.

"I noticed it earlier. Stop questioning or I might back out!" Emma called back.

Snow zipper shuts her mouth and look excitingly at Regina.

Now it is Regina's turn to hear Emma sing. Has she ever, she tries to recall, oh yes, she did once. That silly "Someday My Prince Will Come" tune, dressed in princess pink. Hopefully this karaoke song will replace that. God, the things they have been through, she muses to herself. Funny that Emma should have karaoke anxiety; some hero. She finds herself growing excited in anticipation to see what the Savior will sing.

As the slow melodic music begins Emma comes in "It is the evening of the day. I sit and watch the children play. Smiling faces I can see, but not for me. I sit and watch as tears go by." Regina feels her heart sink and ache with love and pain this song brings. The song is beautiful and melancholy and Emma's voice is melodic and beautiful. She turns to look at Snow and sees her eyes fill with tears. She takes Regina's hand. Regina feels as though she will tear up herself, but she refrains for Emma's sake; she doesn't think Emma seeing them cry at her first song would be encouraging. When Emma steps off the stage at the end of the song, one of Snow's Viking friends goes up to her and embraces her. "That was beautiful," he tells her through sniffles. Emma awkwardly replies "You're welcome?" And pulls away, quickly making her way back to her mom and Regina. Snow gets up and hugs Emma too. "Oh not you too," she says to Snow as she can feel her sobbing on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to make people cry with my voice."

"No honey, you voice was perfect, the song is just so sad."

Emma looks to Regina for help.

Regina places a hand on Snow's back "Snow, there's no crying in karaoke. Let's pick a happy song we can all sing together now that Emma has popped her karaoke cherry," she laughs as she picks up Emma's beer and hands it to her. Emma rolls her eyes at Regina and Snow pulls away, still sniffing, but nods her head in agreement with Regina and picks up the song book. No more crying.

"I know," Regina says, "Nothing says happy and girls night out like a little ABBA! Classic. How about 'Take A Chance On Me'?"

"Yes! Yes!" Snow says, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Let's go! I got the number." And she grabs Emma by the hand and drags her up to the stage before she has a chance to protest. Regina lets the KJ know the number, and he hands her extra microphones. On stage, Emma grumbles at Regina, "I didn't agree to this."

"Do it for your mother!" Regina snaps back, sarcastic smile filling her face. Emma, not one to back down from a challenge, concedes. Alcohol does make you braver, she thinks, and decides she has no choice but to roll with it. Besides, it isn't like this is a song she doesn't know. When she and Snow were friends before the curse, their favorite movie to watch together was Muriel's Wedding, and Snow became an avid ABBA fan. So just before the song begins, Emma goes up to Snow and throws her back against her. For a moment, Snow takes the move as a battle stand and starts to wildly look around the bar. The song begins, and Emma starts to bop up and down, looking at Snow over her shoulder, inviting her to start dancing. Its then that she understood what Emma was doing, getting them into proper ABBA stance, and though it made her miss the first line of the song, she jumped right in. "If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown, Honey, I'm still free, take a chance on me, gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie, if you put me to the test, if you let me try, take a chance on me..." They bounced in rhythm, twirling, and syncing with each other to the moves they learned so well from the movie. From there they belted out the words without missing a word or beat as though this was a performance they put on nightly. Regina sang along just as well besides them, though she was oblivious to the moves they were doing (even if she did know the moves, she decided she wouldn't have joined in anyway, those cute idiots). Emma turned and faced Regina and the joy on Emma's face was priceless; nothing else at this moment mattered to her but really getting into this song with her mother. They continued to face each other sining "Ba ba ba ba baa, ba ba ba ba baa, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me." It made Emma so happy facing a smiling Regina and sining...to her? She suddenly felt the gravity of the lyrics and locked her eyes on Regina. Did she mean what she just sang? Did Regina catch that? Emma continued looking at Regina and continued "Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see, gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me." The song began to take on personal meaning the longer she faced Regina. Regina looked back at her, sining the exact same lyrics, "My love is strong enough to last when things are rough, it's magic." Did Regina know that she was singing their story? Just a moment ago she was caught up with Snow and their ABBA routine, but now she had been drawn out of that space and caught in Regina's eyes, wondering if Regina caught the irony between them. This moment started to leave her feeling exposed and overwhelmed. Was she just feeling vulnerable because of the alcohol? Now that she was free of Hook, she felt a door reopening that though she firmly shut. Arriving to this moment, singing a song on stage with Regina was indicative of how far their friendship had come, but somewhere from hating one another to now, her feelings developed into more than just a friend. Her need to find Regina's happy ending went beyond just keeping things civil so she could keep seeing her son, or keeping a promise to protect Regina at Henry's request; Regina's happy ending was her happy ending; –but why couldn't SHE be her happy ending.

"Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, I know I'm going to get you," Regina sang. The longer she looked at Emma while singing this song, Regina realized how much of this song reflected feelings for Emma. Did Emma know how she had hoped she could be her true love? Although they had never shared a kiss, the magic they produced together was powerful and compatible. Regina could feel Emma's power to her core; Emma must have felt it too. She started building a life with Hook, but now that he's gone, what comes next? In this she couldn't answer for Emma, nor read her. She wanted to ask her questions, find out just how upset was she? Was she secretly relieved to have him gone? How do you ask these questions without being obvious or offensive? Making a confession while Emma was so vulnerable was bad timing. "My love is strong enough to last when things are rough, it's magic. You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind, no I can't let go..." Regina sings this with all her heart as she looks into Emma's eyes. The song eventually fades, and Regina and Emma never break eye contact as they sing to the end. They both stand on stage facing each other, trying to read each other's thoughts. Snow, however is pumped, and not realizing what is going on, jumps off stage into the inviting arms of her fans. Despite the commotion, Snow and her fans make, Emma remains on stage, eyes unable to let Regina loose, and vice versa. It is Regina who final gives Emma a smile while looking back and forth, searching her eyes. She is looking for that "ah-ha!" moment from the blonde, but, the longer they stand up there, nervousness settles in and she begins to believe she IS reading Emma wrong. It was no mistake that Regina chose this ABBA song. Maybe she chose wrong.

Snow started to make her way to the bar, only to realized that the girls were not following her. She thought maybe her fan's got a hold of them, but when she looked back she noticed the two of them facing each other still on stage. Were they going to sing another song? Snow slowly walked over to the two of them, eyeing them. They were motionless and looking at one another with such intensity. Were they about to fight? No they didn't look mad, but they each looked like they wanted to divulge a secret, but nobody wanted to go first. "OH GOOD LORD JUST KISS ALREADY!" Snow blurted out at the top of her lungs. That broke their staring contest and they turned to Snow horrified. "What did you say?!" Emma asked in a strained voice. "You heard me loud and clear Emma Swan. And so did you Ms. Mills so why don't you repeat it for her?" Snow said confidently and walked away back to their spot at the bar waving down Aesop. Regina's mouth went dry. She looked to Emma, hoping she wouldn't want her to repeat what her mother just said. If Emma didn't get the meaning of the song or the stares, clearly Snow did and called them out on it, in public.

Emma did not wait for Regina to repeat what her mother said and marched back to the bar after Snow. Yes, she heard Snow, and she was too embarrassed to face Regina again. At the bar, Emma said to Snow in a low voice "What was that? Why did you say that and so loud that everyone could hear?"

"Because the two of you never say what you feel. That song was loud and clear, Regina picked it, didn't you get the message? Say something to each other already!"

"It was just a song."

"Sure. It was just a song that two friends sang that caused each other to get lost in each other's eyes after it was done. You were standing up there for way longer than karaoke etiquette allows."

Emma snorts "Karaoke etiquette? Now you're the Queen of karaoke? Dictating what one can and cannot do on stage?"

"Don't make this about me. Isn't it about time you and Regina talked about your feelings for each other?"

"We're friends. What is there to talk about?"

"Emma," Snow looks directly at her. "I know what I know. I know what loving looks look like, and the two of you have been looking at each other like that for a long while now. Just like the moment you two had on stage."

Emma was about to counter Snow's observation, but she handed her a shot instead, told her "Cheers!" And she threw back her drink. Emma stood with the shot in her hand. Her mom just ended that conversation.

Regina watched all of this from a distance. She was hesitant to leave the stage.

After a few awkward moments of lingering on stage by herself it appeared that the conversation was brief and Snow got the last word. Emma's back was to her, so she couldn't read her face, and Snow moved on to her shot. She threw back her drink, slipped into the barstool besides Emma and looked at Regina with a smile and a wink. Emma remained unmoved. Whatever more Snow said to Emma clearly left her dumbfounded. Snow called them out. Clearly Snow has known all these years she harbored feelings for her daughter–or at least has suspicions, which she shared with Emma. What exactly Snow said to Emma, she wasn't eager to find out because Emma didn't seem to take it well. Regina closed her eyes. She needed to end this charade and make the next move, regardless of what Emma now knew, timing be damned. She turned to the KJ and gave him a number she had made a mental note of (how fortuitous). The music began, but Emma still didn't turn around. The music played and she sang: "Heat beats fast, colors and promises, how to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall, but watching you stand alone, all of my doubt suddenly goes away...one step closer.." At the sound of Regina's voice Emma finally stirs and slowly she turns around to face the stage. Regina is able to lock eyes with her: "I have died every day waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more." Once again, the two of them gaze into each other's eyes. Regina hopes it is clear what she is trying to say and continues singing until she couldn't wait anymore for the song to finish. She needed to know. She walked off stage, passed the Vikings, and headed straight for Emma. This was it, surely Emma understood now that she has loved her all this time. If ever Regina was a believer in true love it was now and hoped that this was their "ah-ha" moment, their chance for their happy ending. It's either that or Regina completely got caught up in her head and "Emma..." she started to say but was cut off by Emma's lips enveloping hers.


End file.
